Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin
Both Kings stood still, neither sure on how to handle the situation as the dragon flapped his great wings above them. King Rodor, after a moment of indecision, started to bellow out orders and directed the nearest men to take up a defensive position. The dragon watched in a mixture of amusement and indignation then he opened his maw and released a jet of fire above the battlements, not close to cause any danger to the people but enough so that the intense heat was still felt. Rodor was rendered speechless mid orders while the flames forced him and Arthur to instinctively duck out of the way.
"I did not come looking for a fight, King Rodor of Nemeth and King Arthur of Camelot," the dragon spoke, its ancient voice rumbled above them. Arthur's eyes widen, surprised to hear intelligence rather than the roar of a dumb beast he believed the dragon to be.
"Dragons talk?" Arthur exclaimed in confusion. It was a second after Arthur shook his head to dismiss the question in favor for a more pressing matter. "Wait, you're the Great Dragon that attacked us years ago! I killed you!"
"It appears, young Pendragon, you are sorely mistaken," the beast said, golden eyes narrowed and irritation inflected his tone, "and I do not have time for this. You are to go north into the forest where you will find a clearing. Bring whoever you believe to be necessary for I wish to discuss over matters concerning the witch. This is not a request, Pendragon, so do not try my patience." With that, the dragon veered away towards the forest, its form grew further away until he stopped and dove into the trees. Still standing on the battlements, Arthur found himself unable to move, no quite understanding what had occurred before them.
"Why the hell is the Great bloody Dragon here?" Arthur all but shouted.
"I don't know." Rodor responded. "How did you defeat the dragon last time?"
"Surrounded it in a clearing and I gave him a fatal wound. Most of my knights were killed in that attack and that was days after the beast had laid siege to the city," Arthur said.
"Did you see the dragon die?"
"No, I was knocked out when I landed the blow but Merlin…" Arthur began to answer before he trailed off; it was then that something seemed to click into place and Arthur was struck by realization. When he had defeated the dragon, Arthur remembered feeling exhilaration, relief that he had struck down the monster that terrorized his city for days. He remembered when he flopped to the ground, his body stretched as though he was embracing the night sky above him while he wore the biggest grin across his face. Merlin stood above him, with his own signature smile and the news of their victory.
Merlin had told him that the Great Dragon died. It was but another lie to the King and one that Arthur would never had guessed possible. Of everything he heard of his servant, none of it showed that the man had caused harm to Camelot. No matter how much Arthur felt betrayed from the servant, he was never led to believe Merlin's actions were anything but for the good of the kingdom.
To realize that he had not rid the land of the beast that killed dozens of people did more than irk him. Arthur trusted Merlin, trusted that he spoke the truth of the dragon's defeat and death. Yet with recent revelations of Merlin's magic with the added newfound knowledge of the dragon's survival, Arthur felt his blood begin to boil in anger. There was few who could reveal some light on the dragon's continuing existence, and since Merlin was indisposed, that only left one person for Arthur to question.
"I need to speak with Gaius," Arthur said.
Rodor nodded, "Then I will attend to the people. I can't allow their fear to push them to do foolish things, not with the threat of Morgana looming over all of us. The last thing we need is a riot marching off with pitchforks and torches against the dragon."
Arthur turned off and made his way back to physician's chambers. Though he took a pace much slower than when he left, it felt like seconds to Arthur when he arrived back to the room.
"Tell me Gaius, why is there a dragon still flying around?" thundered Arthur after he had slammed the door open and rushed into the chambers. Anger clouded his mind as he targeted the one man that, from Arthur's perspective, held all the answers.
Gaius, still by the worktable, raised his eyebrows, "I presume that's the source of the warning bells."
"Do not change the subject, Gaius. I've been patient on you and that sorcerer's secrets, but I will have answers on why the hell the Great Dragon is still alive," snarled Arthur, his control on his emotions slipping further.
"Merlin keeps many secrets and for good reason," Gaius snapped back, though his anger fell flat when his tone betrayed the exhaustion the past months had given him.
"Then pray tell me, Gaius, what use is a dragon, which destroyed half my kingdom, to us alive?"
"His name is Kilgharrah and he has provided us with advice and wisdom unparalleled in the past against Camelot's enemies. You will do well to appreciate his service for without his advice Camelot would have been destroyed many times over."
"I have a hard time believing that that fire-breathing creature has good intentions, what's there to stop him from burning us all into ashes?"
"Because out of respect and duty to his Dragonlord, Kilgharrah will not harm anyone."
"What Dragonlord?" shouted Arthur, "Balinor was the last, and when he died so did the Dragonlord legacy. There is nothing left to stop this dragon."
"A Dragonlord's power is different from other branches of magic. They do not gain their ability through study but rather a Dragonlord, at the moment of death, pass down their gifts to their son. The ability to call a dragon as kin is an inheritance."
"Even if that is true, Balinor never sired a son."
"He did," a small voice interrupted.
Arthur stopped and looked around the room for the source of the voice; it was then he remembered the others in the room. While Arthur had gone to check why the warning bells rang, Gwaine and Percival had moved to stand by the door at ready with hands loosely placed on the hilt of their swords in case of an attack. They had reacted immediately, with each drawing their swords half out of the scabbards, when Arthur first charged into the room, concerned that an enemy was soon to follow. Helena had pulled out bandages and herbs, mentally calculating what would be needed in case a battle broke out while Gaius had started grinding some herbs at the worktable; the pestle and mortar laid forgotten on the worktable when Arthur began his verbal attack. Still by the fire was Gwen, face pale but resolute in meeting the oncoming fray. In front of the Queen sat Hunith whose hand clenched tightly into her tattered skirts and whose timid voice had drawn Arthur's attention. The King met Hunith's eyes, surrounded in wrinkles lined but determined to speak what was on her mind.
"King Uther had sought Balinor's help years ago," Hunith continued, "He offered peace between Camelot and the Great Dragon, including those named as kin. He claimed to want to make amends with Kilgharrah and repent for the slaughter he led against dragonkind.
"However, Uther's words, under the guise of good intentions, were a trick to capture and chain the Great Dragon in the caves below the castle. When he had what he wanted, Uther ordered his men to turn on Balinor and kill him for the evils of his gift. With his plans completed, Uther had what he wanted, the last dragon, the Great Dragon, imprisoned as an example to all that he would win against magic.
"When Balinor sought protection from Gaius, Gaius turned to me with a request: help keep the man safe, outside of Uther's lands. Gaius had done much for Ealdor in the past when sickness had claimed many, so I agreed and gave Balinor sanctuary," Hunith said, her eyes distant now and a small smile growing on her lips. "Balinor was a kind man but he was full of sorrow and anger; Uther had taken everything from him. He tried to set aside his emotions and worked to help me in return for sanctuary. Those first weeks, I pitied the man for his suffering but soon my pity turned to love as I discovered his kind heart. As my love bloomed for him, so too had his love for me. We were happy, together, for a short while.
"One day, about a month after he escaped Camelot, we received word from Gaius. A traveler, who had passed through Ealdor and recognized Balinor, reported to Uther in exchange for the bounty. Balinor was furious but I calmed him and reasoned that we had time, time to get away and leave. I knew that Uther would tear apart the village until the Dragonlord was found so I planned to leave with him, run far away and hide. I even packed all of my belongings, ready to leave my small home but… he was gone the next morning."
Hunith stared down at her hands as they fiddled with loose threads on the muck-covered apron. "He left to protect me, to keep me from a life of running and danger and he left me with nothing to remind me of the time we spent together. At least that's what I thought."
Hunith began to smile again, though tears welled up in her eyes. "He left me with a son, Merlin. My child was born into a world without a father. I suppose that if he had known, Balinor would have been more inclined to leave. His son, my Merlin, was in danger just for being sired by a Dragonlord. Then again, Merlin, under the laws of Camelot, should have been executed at the moment of birth; for the magic he was born with."
Hunith stood and walked before Arthur, who had been shocked and unable to breathe a word throughout Hunith's confession. Standing in front of him, Hunith placed her hand against his cheek and continued, "The Great Purge had brought upon the land so much pain and suffering but it had led me the Balinor. Through him I gained no only love but a son; my greatest achievement. I regret denying Merlin his right to know of his heritage but glad he had gotten to meet his father, as short as it was."
"I-I'm sorry," Arthur said, his voice choked up by emotions as he once again met with the consequences of his father's laws. In his mind's eye, Arthur saw Balinor, the man full of bitterness and reduced to the life in a cave. He thought of the man's initial refusal only to return later with admittance that he was wrong for allowing his animosity against Uther blind him from what was right. Then he was gone, dead in the arms of Merlin.
No man is worth your tears
Gods, had he really said that? Had he told his best friend that his father was not worth his tears? The same man who comforted Arthur when his own father had passed? The man had watched his father die and Arthur's only comfort was to not cry for his loss.
Arthur felt his anger dissipate and remorse set in. Remorse that he had wronged Merlin in one of the cruelest of ways and which led him to wonder in what other ways had he wronged the servant. The King knew how little worth his words of apology were to Hunith for his actions. His apologies should be directed to Merlin and even then, words would do little to make amends. Arthur had entered with anger over a situation he did not fully understand.
"Do not apologize for a mistake made in ignorance," Hunith admonished, though not unkindly, "I am proud of my boy and I will wait impatiently until the day I can hold my son safely in my arms."
They led their horses into the forest to the north of the city. Arthur felt nervousness claw its way through his gut as they got closer and closer to meeting the dragon. After Hunith's outburst, Helena led the woman out of the physician chambers to rest for she was still weary from her escape from Ealdor. In her absence, Arthur gave his orders to move out immediately, worried about what would happen If they refused the dragon's command.
Now in the midst of his trusted knights, his Queen, and Camelot's Court Physician, along with Princess Mithian as representative of Nemeth and Iseldir for the druids, Arthur felt they were just handing themselves over as the beast's next meal. Those nights cowering in fear from the dragon's attack was too engraved into Arthurs mind to view the fire-breathing flying lizard as anything but peaceful. This had made him hesitant to allow Guinevere, Gaius, and Mithian to join, but they needed Gaius' familiarity with the dragon and the women refused to be left behind with Gwen claiming it was her duty as Queen and Mithian for her duty as representative for Nemeth and her father.
The leaves rustled above them as Gwaine urged his horse away from his fellow knights to trot alongside Arthur, shaking the King out of his morbid thoughts of feasting dragons.
"I have something to say and you damn well better keep your mouth shut while I say it."
"Is that anyway to speak to your King, Sir Gwaine," Arthur replied sarcastically.
"Not to a King, but a King I don't see, eh Princess?" Gwaine joked flashing a grin to Arthur.
"Get on with it," Arthur sighed.
"Alright then, whatever decision you make when we get back to Camelot-"
"If," Arthur muttered darkly.
"I want you to know I've made mine," Gwaine continued, glaring at Arthur for the interruption. "When it comes to Merlin, I will protect him from everything."
Arthur rubbed his face, "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I want to make sure we have an understanding. Whatever her royal Highness decides, I'll keep him safe. Whether it is to welcome him back to Camelot, join him in banishment, or, hell, commit treason against the crown to keep his head firmly on his shoulders. I will keep him safe," Gwaine said, still holding his smile though his eyes held no cheer.
"What do you expect me to do then? Under law, Merlin is to be executed without hesitation. He committed treason and according to common belief and my father's own ruling, Merlin is not as innocent as you claim him to be," Arthur said, though not quite believing his own words. He already started to change his beliefs and though he was not entirely accepting of Merlin yet, Arthur knew he could not execute the man. That did not change the laws or the fear that he and his people still held against magic.
"You would not question his loyalty before, but suddenly the moment he has magic, you're ready to toss him aside? Keep talking, Princess, you very close to losing what little respect I have for you," Gwaine warned.
"What will you have me do then? I am the King of Camelot and I am obligated to watch over my people. Many, including myself, fear magic; it has caused nothing but pain to us all and you expect me to embrace it with open arms? Then you claim that I want to simply toss aside my trust for Merlin but the man has proven to be nothing but dishonest. How can I trust Merlin as I had before when he has been lying to me for years?"
"I am no stranger to giving up all that I have for a vagabond life nor am I opposed to doing so again. I have lived for years on my own whims and when Merlin showed up, he was the first man I've met that saw a person for who they are and not what title they bore. I would rather follow a man such as that, risk the 'threat', than a Princess who cannot see past the blind hate his own father instilled into him," snarled Gwaine.
Arthur shook his head and responded, irritation coloring his tone as he began to lose his impatiens, "I do not have the choice in this matter. I want to trust Merlin, I want to believe that he is as loyal as I always believed him to be, but the man lied to me for years. I cannot turn a blind eye to that betrayal."
"Enough," intervened Leon before Gwaine could protest any more, giving the two stern looks before he continued, "save your anger for Morgana, that last thing we need is to be at each other throats."
"Just so you know, Sire," spat Gwaine, "the last I saw of Merlin, he was weaken to the point that even standing was difficult, yet he used every last ounce of strength to spit in Morganas face. Even with the threat against Ealdor, he stood firm. Tell me again why I should follow a King who would turn his back on one so loyal?"
Gwaine pulled his horse away besides Elyan, glaring at Arthur as he brooded. Leon stared back, eyebrows raised until Gwaine turned his face away towards the path ahead, his face set in irritation.
"Is it wrong to follow in my father's footsteps, Leon? Was my father wrong in his reign?" Arthur asked.
Leon sighed, "Uther was a just King. He cared greatly for his people, even if he had to make unpopular decisions; he did what he could to protect people with the best intentions. Sometimes the best intentions are not what are best for all."
"I was told the kingdom was a mess when sorcery had free reign throughout the land. Every sorcerer I've met killed and brutalized the innocents. How can I allow something like that in my kingdom?"
Leon took a moment to rearrange the reigns in his hands before replying, "I served your father for many years and seen firsthand the many evils of magic. Honestly, when you first told me of Merlin's magic, I was hesitant to believe it. Merlin would be the last person I would believe to be evil. That man does not have a single evil bone in his body.
"Even now, when I find myself more hesitant towards him for allowing the dragon to fly free across the land; I still remember the nights of the Great Dragon's attack and the people whose lives he stole. That more than anything would lead me to distrust Merlin, yet the dragon never returned. We would never have known of his existence if it weren't for him contacting us. Not only that, but Merlin had far too many opportunity since first coming to Camelot to remove you are your father from the throne. If I needed someone to convince me that magic could be good, then I should view Merlin as such."
"So what should I do? Make him the exception to the law? I don't even want to think of what the people would do if I allow a sorcerer among them."
"You do not have to decide now, Sire, but look at the situation this way: the druids are peaceful magic users as well and you have promised them peace before this mess started. What's to say you cannot extend the same peace to Merlin or other magic users that were wronged by Camelot's laws?"
Arthur was about to reply when they suddenly broke from the trees and enter a rather sizable clearing. Across from the group, laid stretched across the ground, was the Great Dragon, his wings folded neatly on his back as his great chest rose and fell. His eyes were closed as he rested his head upon the ground, his fore legs pillowed him from the ground.
To the side was a spring with clear, clean water; it wasn't the spring, however that caught the group's attention, but rather the presence of a second dragon that stood in the water. The beast was the size of a wyvern, with pure white scales that gleamed in the sunlight. It splashed about in the water, breathing flares of fire across the surface and snorting into the steam that rose. A few gave a soft laugh in amusement as they witness that dragon amuse itself.
"A-another dragon?" Arthur said, his voice slightly raised, "Since when has there been another dragon?"
"Beautiful," whispered Mithian as she beheld the young dragon. It was the first time that Mithian had set her eyes upon a dragon and though she understood the terrors that dragons could bring, she could not help but admire the purity of the dragon's coloring.
"Beautiful? I see no beauty but another monster that would murder without remorse," grumbled Arthur.
"Only the ones who annoy me," the dragon spoke, her lilting tone teased.
"Aithusa, how many times must I tell you? Now is not the time for games," grumbled Kilgharrah, who opened his eyes and observed the group that had joined them.
Aithusa rolled her eyes, "You got to go to the city and freak them out, hypocrite."
"It is about time you arrived, young Pendragon," Kilgharrah said, ignoring Aithusa who huffed in annoyance, "I feared I would have had to rip through the castle and drag you out myself"
"Because that makes us feel much better," mumbled Gwaine to Percival.
"There is much to discuss and not much time to do so," Kilgharrah picked himself off the ground, shaking out and resettling his wings. "It is time that we rid ourselves of the witch. Seeing as there is a druid among you, it is safe to assume you are already on the right path."
"We seek a way to destroy the chimeras, the druids have offered a solution," Arthur agreed.
"Chimeras are an issue, but Morgana would prove to be a greater challenge. How do you expect to defeat her once you rid the kingdom of the chimers?"
"With the druid warriors, we have a chance"
Kilgharrah laughed, "The druids are but ants before her. It would not be difficult for her and her sorcerers to destroy the druid warriors, even once the chimeras have been destroyed."
"So you expect us to rely on Merlin to solve our problems," Arthur said, irritated.
"What bothers you the most, Pendragon? That you are relying on a sorcerer to save the kingdom or that you are imposing upon a friend to suffer even more for said kingdom?"
"I do not believe a man who had suffered through torture four months would be in good enough condition to help us."
"You are correct," Aithusa spoke up, her previous jovial tone took on darker tones. She had gotten out of the spring and stood beside Kilgharrah to face the group. "Merlin has suffered greatly without our knowing. It is our duty to our Dragonlord that we help him. That is why we have searched for you, Arthur, to offer assistance. We hope to save Merlin."
"And should we trust your offer to help us? Even though the last time we saw your king you tried to bring the walls down around us?" Arthur asked.
Kilgharrah laughed, "Because slaughtering all of my kin, dragons and Dragonlords alike, and then chaining me in the caves beneath the castle for twenty years was nothing."
"Kilgharrah, why have you come?" Gaius asked, sending a stern look and raised eyebrow towards Arthur, silently telling him to shut up. "You give me reasons to believe that you had not known what was going until now. What brought your attention to us?"
"Our kin cries," whimpered Aithusa.
"Your kin?" Gwen asked dread filling her. "Merlin?"
"The other day we felt the call of the Dragonlord in the form of a powerful burst of magic," Kilgharrah said, shaking his head, "I never felt such raw power"
"From what I can gather, everything that is connected to Merlin's magic was contained since his capture, else he would have found a way out long ago," Gaius said, "there is no way he could possibly call out without his magic free to use."
"Not true," Percival spoke up for the first time.
"He unlocked our bonds and cell. He even knocked out the guards who watched us," Gawain elaborated. "Since we escaped, we had wondered why he had not set himself free as well. We figured there was something else going on that prevented him from freely using his magic."
"Emrys' magic is unique," Iseldir answered. "The common sorcerers you're familiar with have the capability to tap into the natural magic from the earth core and draw it out. This ability is what they cultivate through years of study so they may one day be able to pull a part of the power and direct it through incantations. From what I gathered from Emrys' gift, the magic is a part of his very being. The power is driven by instincts and flows as freely as blood in his veins."
"The druid is correct," Kilgharrah rumbled. "The restraints would keep him from directing his magic but would not prevent the magic from flowing into him."
"Which is why we must ask Emrys for help with the chimeras; physically, he would be incapable of fighting, but magically his power would prove more than enough to take care of the anchor. What Morgana does not understand is that by binding it, she had not fully cut Merlin from his magic. If anything, without release, the magic is probably building up within him," continued Iseldir.
"This is why we are here. We guessed that his call was his magic reacting to his emotions," Aithusa said. "That is the reason we have come to assist you in reclaiming Camelot. We have heard the insanity of my hatcher and wish to save him from such a fate."
"Morgana had pushed the young warlock too far; far enough that his rising emotions trigger a magical outburst. What we felt in his call was that he stands on the edge of insanity, forced there by physical and psychological torture. His own magic is rebelling against him, too much for his physical body to hold for so long. I doubt he would last much longer," Kilgharrah said. The Great Dragon stared down at Arthur, surprising the King that the dragon's eyes were full of sorrow.
"So what must our plan of attack be? Our soldiers and the addition King Lot's army can handle Morgana's soldiers, and the druid warriors her sorcerers, but we have to find our way to not only get Merlin from Morgana's clutches but also have him destroy the anchor and Morgana?" Mithian questioned. "Weaken and close to insanity, it'll already be hard for him to function much less win a battle against a powerful witch."
"On our own we cannot kill Morgana but we do not necessarily need to destroy the witch, only to chase her away," mused Iseldir. "There is a way to do so, for destroying the anchor and ridding the witch, which will not require Emrys to be at full health."
"And what is that?" inquired Arthur.
"If Emrys allows it, there is a draught that would allow a sorcerer to direct magic another has already obtained. Usually this brew allows two sorcerers to perform enchantments that are more powerful that what they are normally capable. When a sorcerer drinks this potion, he may draw up magic and direct the power to the one who brewed the draught. This allows the brewer to take the power and combine it with magic he had already gathered, thus giving him more power than he could draw out himself."
"I have heard of this draught," Gaius said, "and also that it is dangerous. There is a chance the power can turn on the sorcerer since typically he would not have the experience in controlling that amount of magic."
"I know of the risks and requirements put into its preparation and us. If I must, I will willingly take the risks," said Iseldir. "I am loyal to Emrys and I will do all I can to protect the future of Albion."
"Druid, the power you will be trying to control can overtake you. None but Emrys had ever commanded that level of magic. Chances are it will tear your mind to shreds," warned Kilgharrah. "Are you ready to gamble your life and all of Albion on this venture?"
"Even with my mind in shreds, I will hold onto that magic and use it until Camelot's enemy has been defeated."
"Then what should our plan of attack be then," Elyan asked.
"It will have to be two-front attack," contemplated Leon, "the army will attack the city from one end, take care of the soldiers and sorcerers while another, smaller group can sneak into the citadel. While most of the attention is on the army, the other group can take out the anchor and catch Morgana by surprise."
"Aithusa and I can help the attack as well," said Kilgharrah. "We can help hold off the army and manage the chimeras until the anchor is destroyed."
"Who will be infiltration?" Percival asked.
"I will along with Iseldir for the draught-" began Arthur before Gwaine interrupted.
"I'm going as well. Like hell am I going to stand back and let Princess go in without me after what that witch did to Merlin," Gwaine said, staring defiantly at Arthur.
"Then shall we head back? It is about time we stop waiting around," said Mithian. "It is about time we go on the offensive."
AN: Here's the next chapter and I got not much to say other than I finally finished editing it! I wanted to update faster as a way of thanking you guys for the reviews! Seriously, you guys are awesome, I can't believe I broke a 100 reviews. Writing a story was always something I wanted to attempt but never felt motivated enough to try it since I never believed my writing skills were that great. Though I know I have a lot more to improve, everyone here really gave me confidence about my writing. I hope I can improve further and keep this story going strong!
So, really, thank you so much for the support, it really is awesome! And thank you to all those who favorite and alerted my story so far!
Expect the next update, at the latest, by next Tuesday though I'll see if I can squeeze in another chapter before Friday. No promises since the next chapter is going to be a big one and will take time to edit but I'll see what I can do
As always reviews and constructive criticism are welcomed! (haven't said this in awhile, but feel free to point out grammar/spelling mistakes too, I still plan to fix them all but I'm waiting til the fic is finished)